Common Ground Without Compromise - Softcover

Stephen Wagner

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1930836198 ISBN 13: 9781930836198

Publisher: Stand to Reason Press, 2008

Synopsis

Most conversations we have about abortion are difficult. That's if we engage in them at all. What if you had the tools to start the conversation and make it productive? Common Ground Without Compromise encourages you to create discussion about abortion even with those who disagree. It focuses on twenty-five questions most people (pro-choice and pro-life) answer in a similar way. This foundation of common ground provides a safe atmosphere for people on all sides of the issue to clarify their views, listen to alternate perspectives, and even change their minds. Written to both sides of the debate, this book will help you develop your view of abortion or advocate for your position within the context of friendly dialogue.

About this title

About the Author:

Steve Wagner has spent hundreds of hours in dialogue with college students about abortion and human rights on over 30 major university campuses in Canada and across the United States. In addition to making the pro-life case to those who disagree, Steve specializes in training students to engage their campuses in large-scale discussion on abortion. Frustrated by shallow stereotypes and disrespectful activism in the seemingly endless abortion debate, Steve passionately works to build common ground and make a reasonable and clear case for the pro-life position. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California and is currently studying philosophy at Talbot School of Theology.

Review:

Both sides of the abortion debate claim to be defending the dignity of persons. Unfortunately, while quarrelling with each other they sometimes neglect to consider the dignity of the person with whom they are disagreeing. Steve Wagner's book is an antidote to this. He offers to his readers a template on how one may go about discussing the abortion issue with firm conviction while at the same time exhibiting charity. This is a fine piece of work. --Francis J. Beckwith, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, Baylor University

Steve Wagner has made a great contribution to breaking the logjam in the discussion of abortion. These discussions often end up as posturing or shouting matches because there is no common place to begin. Steve has identified places of common ground from which to proceed--this has the chance to actually make some headway in these difficult and emotional discussions. I commend this book for those who want to engage the discussion seriously. --Scott B. Rae, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

In a realm where cleverness and strategy are prioritized over understanding and dialogue, Common Ground Without Compromise represents a rare and invaluably sincere perspective. In its attempt to bring us all, pro-choice and pro-life, back to our common humanity, this book will do more than challenge your views--it will challenge your idea of how we should go about working for a better world. There were definitely moments when reading this that I had some buttons pushed and wanted more explained from 'my side.' Then I realized that this was the purpose--to start conversations with each other, not to say how they should end. Wagner's approach represents one of the most hopeful things I have encountered in my experiences with this great social dilemma of our time. --Lynette Shaw, Pro-Choice

About this edition

• Publisher: Stand to Reason Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1930836198
• ISBN 13: 9781930836198
• Binding: Perfect Paperback
• Number of pages: 135